Heuchera plant named ‘Royal Velvet’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Heuchera  plant named ‘Royal Velvet’, characterized by its full, densely foliated and uniformly mounded plant habit; purple and bronze-colored foliage; numerous white-colored flowers arranged on erect panicles; and excellent garden performance.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Heuchera×hybrida cultivar Royal Velvet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant, botanically known as Heuchera×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Royal Velvet’.

The new Heuchera is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Heuchera cultivars having good plant vigor, dense and uniform plant habit, and showy and attractive flower and leaf coloration.

The new Heuchera was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., from seedling progeny from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2000, of the Heuchera×hybrida Shenandoah Mountain, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,357, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Heuchera×hybrida identified as code number H99-9B, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Heuchera was selected by the Inventor in May, 2001. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable flower and foliage coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Heuchera by cuttings in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., since May, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Heuchera are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Royal Velvet has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Royal Velvet’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Royal Velvet’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera:

-   -   1. Full, densely foliated and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Purple and bronze-colored foliage.     -   3. Numerous white-colored flowers arranged on erect panicles.     -   4. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Shenandoah Mountain. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Shenandoah Mountain in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heuchera and the cultivar Shenandoah         Mountain differed in leaf shape and coloration.     -   2. Plants of the new Heuchera had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Shenandoah Mountain.     -   3. Plants of the new Heuchera had shorter inflorescences than         plants of the cultivar Shenandoah Mountain.

Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the male parent, the Heuchera×hybrida selection identified as code number H99-9B. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heuchera and the male parent selection         differed in leaf shape and coloration.     -   2. Plants of the new Heuchera had larger petals than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Heuchera had pubescent leaf petioles and         peduncles whereas plants of the male parent selection had smooth         leaf petioles and peduncles.

Plants of the new Heuchera can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,066. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heuchera and the cultivar Silver Scrolls         differed in leaf shape and coloration.     -   2. Plants of the new Heuchera had larger leaves than plants of         the cultivar Silver Scrolls.     -   3. Plants of the new Heuchera had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Silver Scrolls.     -   4. Plants of the new Heuchera had shorter inflorescences than         plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.     -   5. Plants of the new Heuchera had pubescent leaf petioles and         peduncles whereas plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls had         mostly smooth leaf petioles and peduncles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Heuchera, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Heuchera.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical one-year old flowering plant of ‘Royal Velvet’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Royal Velvet’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generally terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs and following detailed botanical description describe plants grown in Scottdale, Pa. in a glass-covered greenhouse and under cultural conditions which approximate commercial practice. Plants were grown as single plants in one-gallon containers and were about one year old. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15 to 26° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5 to 15° C.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera×hybrida cultivar Royal Velvet. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Heuchera×hybrida Shenandoah             Mountain, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,357.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Heuchera×hybrida identified as code number H99-9B, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 15 days at 23° C.             Winter: About 21 days at 17° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 45 days at             23° C. Winter: About 60 days at 17° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial; basal rosette plant habit with leaves             developing from the base; densely foliated; full, mounded             and uniform plant habit with upright panicles with             white-colored flowers. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant size.—Height, soil level to top of foliar plane: About             20 cm. Height, soil level to top of panicles: About 45 cm.             Diameter or spread: About 40 cm.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Basal rosette, simple.             Length: About 8 cm. Width: About 7.5 cm. Shape: Rounded             cordate; seven-lobed. Apex: Broadly obtuse, lobed. Base:             Auriculate. Margin: Crenate with fine ciliation. Texture,             upper surface: Slightly rough; glabrous. Texture, lower             surface: Slightly rough; pubescent. Venation pattern:             Palmate, reticulate. Color: Developing and fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: 184B underlain with 187B; areas of             196B. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             183B. Venation, upper surface: 184B. Venation, lower             surface: 183B. Petiole: Length: About 13 cm. Diameter: About             1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 187C underlain with 138D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Appearance/arrangement.—Single campanulate flowers arranged             on numerous erect panicles; about 100 to 150 flowers and             flower buds per flowering stem. Flowers face mostly outward             to slightly downward. Flowering continuous. Flowers             persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Time of flowering.—Plants flower from May through June in             Scottdale, Pa.; flowering continuous during this period.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Individual inflorescences last             about one week on the plant.         -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 45 cm. Diameter: About 6.5             cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 6 mm. Depth (height): About 9             mm.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5.5 mm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Shape: Globular. Color, at stage of showing color: 57C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five sepals; radially             symmetrical and fused at base. Calyx length: About 7 mm.             Calyx diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Elongate. Apex: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 155D. Color, lower             surface: Close to 155D shaded with 57D; pubescence, 57D.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five minute petals; radially             symmetrical. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 1.6 mm. Shape:             Spatulate; twisted. Apex: Acute. Margin: Dentate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper surface:             Close to 155D. Color, lower surface: Close to 155D.         -   Flower bracts.—Length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About 0.8 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Serrate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 187B.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Length:             About 28 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 187B.         -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 60° from vertical.             Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 0.2 mm. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 198C underlain with 187B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five per             flower. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 0.4 mm.             Anther width: About 0.3 mm. Anther color: 8A. Amount of             pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 8A. Gynoecium: Pistil             number: Two per flower. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma             shape: Round. Stigma color: 157D. Style length: About 4 mm.             Style color: 157D. Ovary color: 157B.         -   Seed.—Size: About 0.3 mm by 0.6 mm. Color: Close to 202A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Heuchera has not been observed on plants grown under commercial     conditions. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Heuchera have been     observed to have excellent garden performance. Plants of the new     Heuchera have demonstrated good tolerance to rain, wind, night     temperatures as low as −35° C., and day temperatures as high as 45°     C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant named ‘Royal Velvet’, as illustrated and described. 